Spring-fastening.



PATENTED MAY 19, 1908. P. SCHINDEWOLF.

SPRING PASTBNING.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 22, 190B.

UNITED STATES PATENT DFFICE.

FRITZ SCHINDE\\"OLF, OF NEW YORK, i\'. Y., ASSlGNOl TO It. Ii. Dll'lZ COMPANY. 0F NEW YORK. N. Y.

SPRING-FASTENING- .To all whom it may concer/a.'

Be it known that I, FRITZ ScHiNnEwoLF, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Spring-Fastenings, of which the following' is a specification;

This invention relates mainly to the spring fastenings which are employed for detachably connecting the oil pot to the body hoop or lower part of the lantern body or frame, and which comprise an outwardly projecting locking stud on the oil pot and a locking spring on the lantern body or frame.' This locking spring, which is usually constructed of sheet metaland arranged with its flat side vertically on the outer side of the lantern body or frame, is so constructed and arranged that it isdeflccted outwardly or away from the lantern body or frame, flatwise or in the direction of its thickness, which is comparatively thin, since the spring is made of elastic sheet brass or other sheet metal.

The object 'of this invention is to produce a spring' fastening' of this character which is more efficient and durable than those now in use, and more convenient and which can bc produced at comparatively small expense.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of a lantern provided with my improved spring fastening in its preferred form. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of this spring fastening. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper part of the oil pot. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified construction of the fastening. Fig. 5 is a similar perspective view showing another modified construction of the fastening.

Like letters and numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the oil pot of a lantern and B the body hoop or lower part of the lantern body or frame to which the oil pot is removably attached and into which it is inserted from below.

C represents one of the usual, outwardly projecting locking studs on the oil pot and D the angular slot formed in the lower portion of the body hoop for receiving this stud when the oil pot is inserted into the body hoop and allowing the oil pot to be turned in the latter until it has reached the locked position. E represents the locking spring which is arranged on the outer side of the body hoop Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led November 22, 1906i Patented May 19, 1908.

seriai No. 344.581.

and secured thereto at one end, while. its head or free end is arranged adjacent to the slot D for engagement with the stud C.

In the construction of the fastening represented in Figs. l and 2, the locking spring is bifurcated or composed of' two members 10 which are formed in one piece with or otherwisc united to the shank or attaching plate 11 of the spring and which grasp the locking stud between their free ends or heads. The head of each member of this spring is provided with an oblique entering face 12 and in rear of the latter with a locking recess 13 When the locking stud C has been introduced into the upright portion of the ai'igular slot D it stands opposite the oblique entering faces 12 of the members of the duplex spring. By turning the oil pot toward the springl the stud comes in contact with these faces and wedges the heads of the members of the spring apart and then, as the turning movement proceeds, arrives opposite the locking recesses 13 on the two members of the spring', which now close and lock thc stud in these recesses. The outer portions of these recesses, those which lie nearest the free ends of the members, are preferably made steeper or more abrupt than thc entering faces, in order nthat the entrance of the stud between the .members of the spring may take place with comparative ease, while the spring resists the unlocking movement with considerable force, sufficient to hold the oil pot securely locked to the lantern body or frame against ordinary disturbing forces. When it is desired to detach the oil pot from the lantern body or frame, the oil pot is turned in the reverse direction with sufficient force to move the stud from between the free ends of the members of the spring.

The spring is secured to the body hoop, preferably, as shown, by forming a socket 14 on the hoop and inserting the attaching shank or plate 11 of the spring into this socket, in which the spring is secured by a rivet, or by solder orfother suitable means. The socket can be cheaply formed on the hoop by providing the latter with suitable slits and pressing the metal outward to form the socket.

The spring members are flexed in the dilrection of their width, instead of in the direction of their thickness, or move up and down somewhat like a latch, and as this 1s the d1- vin FiG. 4 a locking s )rinO F consisting of a C b b D rection of the greatest stiffness of the spring the latter can be made comparatively light and still be sufficiently strong and stiff to securely hold the oil pot in position` 1n addition to the flexing of the spring in the direction of its width there is also a slight torsional movement in the free portions of the spring as these portions are wedged apart by the locking stud. The locking or unlocking is effected simply by turning the oil pot and the lantern body or frame with reference to each other and without requiring the spring to be manipulated, which is an important advantage in railroad lanterns.

ln the modified construction represented single member is employed. rlhis spring is provided at its free end or head with an oblique entering face 15 and in rear of the same with a locking recess 16, and is secured at its opposite end to the hoop in a socket 17 formed on the hoop, as above described, or by any other suitable means.

In the modified construction represented in Fig. 5, the locking spring G consists of a single member which is secured to the body hoop at both ends and is provided in its underside with two recesses, an entering recess 18 and a locking recess 19. The entering recess is located over the upright portion of the angular' slot D so that the locking stud enters this recess upon pushing the oil pot into the body hoop. By then turning the oil pot in the hoop the stud engages the oblique entering face of this recess and causes the middle portion of the spring to be deflected upwardly. When the stud reaches the locking recess 19, the middle portion of the spring springs back to its normal position and locks the stud in the recess. The ends of this i spring may be secured in sockets 20 formed on the body hoop or by other suitable means.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination of a lantern frame provided with a flat locking spring rigidly secured and having a locking recess in its edge, and an oil pot provided with a locking stud which is movable along said recessed edge and fleXes the spring in the direction of its width between said recess and the attached end, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a lantern frame provided with a flat locking spring secured thereto at one end and having at its free end a locking head which engages edgewise, and an oil pot provided with a locking stud which is movable along the edge of said head and interlocls therewith, thereby exing the spring in the direction of its width between the head and the attached end, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a lantern frame provided with a duplex locking spring composed of two flat members arranged edgewise with reference to each other and each secured at one end and having at its free end a locking head which engages edgewise, and an oil pot provided with a docking stud which engages between said heads by a movement along the edges thereof, whereby the springs are flexed in the direction of their width between the heads and the attached ends, substantially as set forth.

Vitness my hand this 16th day of November, 1906.

FRITZ SCHINDE/VOLF.

litnesses 1 GEO. A. ALLEN, OSCAR R. VErss. 

